Why not collect coins? There are many reasons someone might start collecting coins. I cannot speak for everyone else so I will explain why I decided to start collecting coins. I started casually collecting coins as a young child. My Grandfather used to give me silver dollars and silver half dollars that he would get from the bank. They stood out to me because they were not as common as the pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters we see every day. As I started getting older I paid more attention to the change that I would get. I would pull out the occasional wheat penny or silver war nickel. Eventually I learned that pre-1965 coins (silver dollars, half dollars, quarters and dimes) were 90% silver. Obviously I saved all of the 90% silver coins that I found and it really grew from there.
I see coin collecting as an interesting financial opportunity. At the very least, even if you don’t have super rare and valuable pieces in your collection you are saving money. I am a big fan of the junk silver that is pretty easy to find in any coin shop. That is the 90% silver coins such as Mercury Dimes, Walking Liberty Half Dollars, Franklin Half Dollars, pre-1965 Roosevelt Dimes, Washington Quarters and Kennedy Half Dollars. These coins contain silver so their price is dependent on the spot price of silver. Silver has its ups and downs but over time it has gone up in price significantly which means the value of these coins has constantly risen over the years. The junk silver coins also have a very low premium in terms of buying silver.
I also find coin collecting to be a very educational hobby. Every piece has a story to tell. The artwork on both coins and banknotes give a good idea of some of the significant events that have happened in the particular country that issued them when it comes to world currency. One excellent example that I have found recently are the coins from Soviet Russia minted between 1965 and 1991. They put out over 70 commemorative designs just in their common copper-nickel alloy coins alone. That is not including their silver and gold coins from the same time period. They used these coins to commemorate things like victory in world war two and the first human flight into space by Russian citizen Yuri Gagarin. Check out the full list by clicking on the following link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commemorative_coins_of_the_Soviet_Union
Coin collecting does take time effort and money however it is a very rewarding hobby. I have learned a lot from it and I appreciate the historical significance of the coins. It is a hobby that might not be for everyone but everyone does use money. Next time you get a chance, take a look at your change or examine a dollar bill a little more closely. You might be surprised by what you find.